Vocabulary Cartoons


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Vocabulary cartoons usually refer to cartoons that help you remember the meaning of certain words. The vocabulary cartoons on this page are a little different: the cartoons illustrate real-life definitions by school children who got a bit confused. These real-life student howlers come from the forthcoming book, Funny English Errors. Enjoy!

Click the small version of the vocabulary cartoon to see a larger version.

Discus or biscuits?
Discus or biscuits?

In this vocabulary cartoon, the student confuses the word "discus" (a disk athletes throw) with the word "biscuits" (a treat you eat): "In the Olympic games they ran races, jumped, and hurled the biscuits".

Rhinoceros or Ostrich or both?
Rhino or ostrich?

In this better known schoolroom howler, the student mixes "Rhinoceros" (a massive, powerful animal) with an "Ostrich" (a large flightless bird) when the child writes "People go to Africa to hunt rhinostriches".

Garlands or garlics?
Garland or garlic?

In this vocabulary cartoon, the school kid confuses "Garland" (a decorative head dress) with the herb "Garlic": "At Roman banquets the guests wore garlics on their heads." Stinky!.

Limited monarchy or limited monkey?
Monarchy or monkey?

In one of our favourite vocabulary cartoons, Greece is governed not by a limited monarchy, but a limited monkey: "The only form of government in Greece was a limited monkey". (And then the monkey turned it into a banana republic.)

Guillotine or gelatin?
Garland or garlic?

According to this vocabulary cartoon, Louis XVI was not put to death by the guillotine but by a lot of gelatin: "Louis XVI was gelatined during the French Revolution". We prefer this version of history!

Confetti or spaghetti?
Confetti or spaghetti?

Confetti are small pieces of coloured paper that people throw at the bride and groom to celebrate the couple's wedding. In this vocabulary cartoon, the student has a better idea: "Spaghetti is thrown on people at weddings". The bride and groom look unimpressed!

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